Means for tapping a high pressure line or container



Feb. 11, 1941. L. e. HOOPER 2,231,44 MEANS FOR TAPPING A HIGH PRESSURE L INE OR CUNTAINER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 31, 1935 Inventor Feb. 11, 1941. L. e. HOOPER MEANS FOR TAPPING A HIGH PRESSURE LINE 0R CONTAINER Filed Dec. 31, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 11, 1941. ca. HOOPER 2,231,448

I MEANS FOR TAPPING A HIGH PRESSURE LINE OR CONTAINER Filed Dec. 51, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inven lor I G. f/oo ve'r A tlomey zwmml Patented Feb. 11, 1941 PATENT oFFicE MEANS FOR TAPPING A HIGH PRESSURE LINE OR CONTAINER Louis G. Hooper, Sarepta, La., assignor to The Bastian-Blessing Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application December 31, 1935, Serial No. 57,039

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a means for tapping a high pressure line and container without lowering the pressure or losing any of the fluid, the general object of the invention being to first bore a hole in the line or container without loss of pres- I sure of fluid and to insert a tube in the line or container for withdrawing some of the fluid or inserting fluid, and to provide for removing the various parts after the above operation has been completed without loss of pressure or fluid.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the withdrawal means that such means can not be rendered active without the use of special equipment so that there is no danger of an unauthorized person tampering with said means.

Another object is to provide a means for automatically keeping a pipe line free of condensed liquid.

Another object is to provide a means for installing a syphon in a pipe line against pressure in such a manner that it is unnecessary to leave on the pipe line a conventional valve for closing the syphon when the same is not in use.

The invention together with its objects and advantages will be best understood from a study of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view with parts in elevation showing the line or container tapped and the siphon means in position, but with the valve closed to prevent siphoning action.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the parts for opening the valve to permit the siphoning action.

Figure 3 is a view of a drill which may be used with the invention.

Figure 4 is a view of a plug used to close the tapped part of the line or container when the siphoning equipment is not in place.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional View partly diagrammatic showing an accumulating chamber connected with the line or container.

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6--6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is an enlarged detailed sectional view illustrating the details of the lower end of the syphon tube and Figure 8'is a section taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 7 and looking downwardly.

In the drawings the letter A indicates a gas line although it is to be understood that the device can be used with any suitable fluid container.

The first part of the operation for carrying out the invention is the welding of a nipple I to the line as shown at 2. (Fig. 1) The nipple I is threaded-interiorly and exteriorly as shown.

Next, a valve casing 3 is threaded to the exterior of the nipple, and this casing contains a valve 4.

A pressure barrel 5 is threaded to the valve casing and a hollow head 6 is threaded to the opposite end of the barrel. This head is provided with an outlet 1 controlled by a valve 8. The top of the head is provided with a threaded opening for receiving the stuffing box 9 which carries the packing nut I0.

Figure 3 shows a drill I2a having a stem l2 which may be used for tapping the line, but it :s to be understood that any form of drill can be used, such for instance as the cup type- The stem of the drill is passed through the packing means 9 and I before the same are screwed into the head 6, and the drill lie is then passed downwardly through the head 6, barrel and valve casing 3 to the nipple I. A handle such as is shown at [3 has a square member therein to receive the squared part I4 of the drill which member is part of a ratchet mechanism by means of which the handle l3 may be freely moved back and forth to rotate a part received within said member and a pulley carrying yoke l 5 is placed on the part it at the upper end of the drill stem and then a 25 nut l1 threaded on the threaded part it of the drill stem.

The head 6 carries the extensions l9 which rotatably support the drum provided with the ratchet 2! engaged by the dog 22 carried by the upper end of a handle 23 so that by operating the handle the dog 22 engages the ratchet 2| and will rotate the drum.

A cable 24 has one end attached to the drum and said cable is adapted to be passed over the pulleys 25 of the yokegand then the cable is at-- tached to the outlet 1 of the head 6 as shown at 26.

The drum 20 is turned by the handle 23 which causes the cable to apply pressure to the drill and at the same time the drill is turned by the handle l3 until the bit penetrates the line A. During this operation the valve 8 is closed and the stuffing box 9 and I0 is adjusted to prevent leaks around the drill stem. The drill stem is rotated until it can be forced inwardly by the drum assembly without rotating the handle and when this can be done drilling of the hole has been completed. Then the dog 22 is raised out of engagement with the ratchet 2| to permit pressure in the line to force the drill stem out of the pressure barrel 5. Then valve 4 is closed and valve 8 is open and this completes the tapping of the line.

The stuffing box and the drill are then removed and the stufiing box placed on a tube Z'Iand the the drum and cable arranged as shown in Figure 1.

lower end of this tube is connected by the bushing 30, acting as a coupling, to the upper end of the siphon tube 29.

Slightly above the lower end of the tube 29, said tube is formed with ports 3|, and the lower portion of the tube 29 is received within a short tube 32 which extends downwardly beyond the lower end of the tube 29 and is provided at its lower end with projections 33.

As best shown in Figure 7 a split band I! embraces a lower portion of the tube 29 above the ports 3| and at intervals the upper portion of thetube 32 is welded to the band II as at Ha. A-

gasket 32a or the like is provided to form a seal between the upper end of the tube 32 and the exterior of the tube 29. Also, a plug 36 is threadedly engaged Within the lower part of the tube 29 so that it may be moved to a position either above or below the port 3|, and has a non-circular part 37 at its upper end whereby it may be rotated to one position or the other in a manner hereafter to be set'forth. This plug when the parts are assembled as described occupies its position above the port 31 and thus serves as a closure for the tube 29;

The tubes 21 and 29 thus assembled are passed downwardly through the head 6, and barrel 5 and into the valve casing with the lower end of the tube 32 resting on the closed valve 4 and the packings 9 and ID are threaded tight into the upper end of the head 6.

A member 34 is shaped like the upper end of the drill l2 and is connected with the upper end of the tube 21 by a sleeve 35 and the handle l3 and yoke 15 are connected with the member 34, with move the tube downwardly until the bushing 35- engages with the internal thread of the fitting i. Then the tubesare turned by the handle I3 until the bushing 30 is tightened in fitting I and the tube 32 at the lower end of the tube 29 comes in contact with the-bottom of the line A as shown in Fig. 1a. The valve 8 is then opened and the yoke and the associated parts are removed from the upper end of the tube 2'1 by unscrewing the collar 35. The packing means are loosened and then the parts 6, 5 and 3 are removed after which the bushing 30 will be held and the tube 2'! unscrewed therefrom.

It will of course be understood that no fluid can escape from the line at this stage as the plug 35 closes the lower end'of the tube 29.

.When it is desired to remove liquid or the like from the line a nipple 38 (Fig. 2) has one end threadedinto the plug 35 and a valve to is threaded to the upper end of the nipple 33 while a-tube Al is threaded to the valve. The tube 4| has-a packing 42 atits upper end and an outlet 43 controlled by a valve 4 8.

A rod 45 is passed through the packing Q2 and a handle 46 is attached to the upper end of the rod, the lower end of the rod being enlarged and formed with a socket 41 which is made to fit the non-circular part 31 of the plugiifi. The rod is passed downwardly into the tube 29 to engage the'socket 41 with the part 3'5 of the plug and then the valve 44 is closedv and the packing t2 tightened to prevent leakage.

Therod45. is then turned by the handle 45 to cause the socketed part to rotate the plug 36 whereby said plug is moved downwardly below the ports 31: and to substantially the position suggestediin Figure '7. The pressure will then raise the rod 35 until the socketed part rises above the outlet 43. The valve 40 is then closed and the valve 44 opened after which the tube 4| with the red 45 is removed. If desired to remove liquid or the like in the line the valve 49 can be opened so that the pressure in the line will force the liquid through the tube 29 and practically all of the liquid in line will be blown therefrom.

If the automatic trap shown at B in Figure 5 is to be used the trap is placed adjacent to the line and an elbow 41a is connected with the valve so before said valve is opened and a conduit 48 iscon-nected with the elbow 41a and leads into the tank or accumulating chamber 49. The tank contains a. float valve 50 and a discharge pipe 5| which has a port 52 therein controlled by valve 53 carried by a depending part of a link 54 pivoted to the pipe 5| and to a depending part of the float. The lower end of the pipe 5| is open and has a sleeve 55 thereon which is similar to the sleeve or short tube 32 so that practically all the liquid in the tank can be blown therefrom.

By opening the valve 40 the liquid in the line will discharge into the tank and when the liquid in the tank reaches a certain level it will raise the float and thus the valve 53 will be open so that the liquid will pass through the discharge pipe 5!. Any liquid accumulating in the line above the bottom of the siphon will be forced over into the trap when an increase in pressure occurs that is greater than the weight of the liquid in the tube 29. As the level of the liquid in the tank drops the. float will move downwardly and close the valve 53.

When it is-desired to remove the siphon and trap the valve 40 is closed and the elbow 41a, removed therefrom. The tube 4| and rod 45 are put back in place as shown in Figure 2 and then valve 44 is closed and valve 5% opened to permit the rod 45 to pass therethrough into the tube 29 to en gage the plug 36. The rod is then turned to move. the plug above the port 3|. Then the valve 44 is opened, the rod 45 raised and all the parts including the valve. 40 are removed. Then the tube 38 is removed while the bushing 30 is held to prevent its. removal. Then tube 21 is threaded into the bushing 36 and the bushing 30 loosened slightly .from its engagement with the fitting I, after which valve 3, barrel 5 and the parts attached to the barrel as shown in Figure 1 are put back in place. Then the. tubes 21 and 29 are rotated by the handle l3 to completely unscrew bushing an, already loosened, from the internal threads of the fitting I. Of course in this operation the valve 8 is closed and after the plug 30 has been unscrewed from the nipplev the drum is slowly turned to release the cable 24 to permit pressure to raise the siphon tube 23 until the bottom of the siphon tube passes the valved. Then the. valve 4 is closed and valve 8 opened. Stuffing box 9 may then be unscrewed and removed, together with tube 21, bushing 38 and syphon tube 29., Then. tube 29 and bushing 30 are removed from the tube 271' and a plug such as shown at C in Figure 4 is threaded on the lower end of the tube 2'! and the tube 21 with the plug C and stumng box 9 are replaced in barrel 5. After closing of valve 8 and opening of valve 4, tubing 21 may again be rotated to thread the plug C into the upper end of the nipple I. Then the valve 8 is opened and the parts 3, 5 and 6 lifted slightly, whereupon the plug C may be held and tube 21 rotated to permit removal of the entire apparatus excepting fitting l and plug C. Then a protection cap can be threaded on to the fitting I. The

needle valve in plug C, which is preferably slightly unseated during the installation or removal of this plug to permit a balancing of the pressure in the line A and the barrel 5, is tightened after installation.

Thus I have provided a means for tapping a pipe line or container without loss of fluid and siphoning fluid therefrom and then removing all the parts excepting the fitting I which is closed by the plug C and by a cap, when desired.

Of course the invention can be used for inserting fluid into the line or container.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is: g

A pipe line tapping mechanism comprising a valve assembly adapted to be connected to a pipe line for controlling flow of fluid therefrom, casing means defining a chamber in line with said valve assembly and connected to the latter, a tool mounted in the upper end of said casing for rotary and longitudinal movement with respect thereto,

said tool having one end exposed exteriorly of said casing and the other end enclosed by and movable within said casing and valve assembly into operative engagement with the pipe line, fluid sealing means between the casing and said tool, means carried by the exposed end of the tool for rotating the same, a strap member having one of its ends anchored exteriorly of said casing, a strap guide mounted upon the exposed end of the tool for rotation about the longitudinal axis of the tool, and strap winding means carried by the casing and connected to the other end of the strap, the intermediate portion of the strap passing over said strap guide whereby the expanse of strap between the anchored end thereof and said strap winding means may be reduced by said winding means While the tool is being rotated, to thereby simultaneously rotate the tool and crowd it toward the pipe line.

LOUIS G. HOOPER. 

